Clothes washing machines



Oct. 23, 1956 G. D. CONLEE 2,767,569

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES Filed July 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig 1 INVENTOR. George [2 00/7/66 Oct. 23, 1956 G. D. CONLEE CLOTHES WASHING [MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28, 1954 INVENTOR. George 0 00/7/68 Allys- United States Patent 2,7 67 ,569 CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES George D. Conlee, Franklin Park, Ill., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York The present invention relates to clothes washing machines and more particularly to such machines in which the clothes are washed fundamentally by a water action, as contrasted with the more conventional agitator action.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a clothes Washing machine of the type noted, embodying improved mechanism for circulating the water and the clothes in the tub so that a primary toroidal motion and a secondary rotary motion are imparted thereto in order to insure a high rate of turn-over of the load of clothes and a thorough, although gentle, washing of all parts thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothes washing machine, embodying improved mechanism of the character noted, wherein active rubbing of the clothes is achieved for the washing purpose, without beating or .undue wear of the fabrics.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clothes washing machine of the character described, whereby the interior of the tub is unobstructed and contains no moving mechanical element in contact with the clothes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clothes washing machine of the type noted, wherein the water circulating mechanism consists fundamentally of a water pump of the centrifugal impeller type including a casing disposed in the central lower portion of the tub adjacent to the bottom wall thereof and provided with water inlet and outlet passages so constructed and arranged that the water and the clothes are circulated in the manner described without danger of damage to the clothes, while insuring substantially constant movement of the clothes and thorough washing thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine for washing clothes, and the like, and for extracting water therefrom, wherein the tub is mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis to effect the centrifugal extraction of water from the clothes, and wherein the tub houses in the central thereof water circulating mechanism of impeller type that is operative to effect washing the clothes, whereby the machine includes Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the elements of the clothes washing machine, whereby the above-outlined and additional operating features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view, partly broken away and partly in vertical section, of a clothes washing machine embodying the present invention;

. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tub arranged in the casing 2,767,569 Patented Get. 23, 1956 of the machine of Fig. 1 and mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the water circulating mechanism arranged in the central lower portion of the tub, taken in the direction of the arrows along the offset line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the water circulating mechanism, taken in the direction of the arrows along the offset line 4-4 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of a modified form of the clothes guard and rubbing device that may be carried by the top of the casing of the water circulating mechanism, instead of the simple reticulated screen shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the clothes washing machine 10 there illustrated, and embodying the features of the present invention, comprises an outer casing 11 provided with a substantially horizontally disposed intermediate dividing wall 12 defining an upper washing compartment 13 and a lower machinery compartment 14. A substantially annular tub 15 is arranged in the upper compartment 13 and provided with a substantially horizontally disposed bottom wall 16 and an upwardly and outwardly directed side wall 17 carrying an upwardly and inwardly directed clothes retaining ring- 18. The tub clothes to be 15 is adapted to contain wash water and Washed and is mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical central axis upon an annular collar 19 carried by an upstanding rotatably mounted tubular spin column 20, the collar 19 being directly secured to the lower surface of the bottom wall 16, and the spin column 20 forming a part of drive mechanism 21 carried by the dividing wall 12 and disposed partially in both of Arranged substantially centrally in the lower portion of the tub 15 is water circulating mechanism 24 that is casing 25 carried by the bottom wall 16 and extending upwardly therefrom. As best shown in ond annular series of water discharge ports 33 in the lower portion of the casing 25. More particularly, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the first series of discharge ports 32 are arranged to direct water from the interior arranged within the casing 25 and of the casing 25 radially outwardly and generally in a horizontal direction across the bottom wall 16, as indicated by the arrows 34, while the second series of discharge ports 33 are arranged to direct water from the interior of the casing in a horizontal direction above the bottom wall 16, as indicated by the arrows 35.

Also, the water circulating mechanism 24 includes an impeller 36 of the volute closed-channel centrifugal type defining a substantially centrally dis- 25 radially outwardly and generallycarried by the upper end of an upstanding rotatably mounted impeller shaft 37 arranged in the spin column 2% and projected through an associated opening provided in the bottom wall 16, the impeller shaft 37 also forming a part of the drive mechanism 21, the upper end of the impeller shaft being supported by the upper end of the spin column'20 b'yan iiitervening sleeve bearing 38. More particularly, the impeller 36 includes a substantially disk-like plate '39 arranged above and adjacentto the bottom wall 16 and disposed at an angle with respect thereto, and-also at'an angle withres'pect to the substantially vertical axis of the impeller shaft 37, so that two oppositely disposedportions of theplate 39 respectively cooperate with-the' first and the second series of discharge ports 32Kand- 33, a substantially frusto conic'al shell 40 carried byth'e' plate 59 and cooperating with thecasing '25, and aplurality of upstanding impeller '-blades 4-1 arranged between; the plate 39 and the shell 46. The shell 40 is substantially bell-shaped, terminating at the top thereof 'in'anupwardly direet'edannular'rim 42 disposed in guided relationwith respect toth'e annular ledge27 and defininga substantially centrally disposed throat or'wat'erinlet opening '43 ihto the hollowinterior thereof, and terminating at-the bottom-'thereofin an outwardly directed annular 'rim 44 disposed above the plate 39 and defining'an annular water discharge "opening 4-5'therebetween. I

Asindieated in Fig. 4, the-impeller shaft 37 is adapted to be rotated in the clockwise-direction, as viewed from the top oftheinechanism24, whereby the impeller blades 41 are curved or involuted in the counterclockwise direction; and si'milarly, and-the series 'of diffuser blades 31 are curved or' involutedin the counterclockwise direction. Accordingly, itwillbe understood that when the impeller shaft'37 is rotated intheclockwise direction, water from the tub 15" is drawn through the inlet opening 43'into the, hollow shell 4'0'and' is discharged therefrom by centrifugal force radially from the periphery of the disk-like plate 39 through-the waterdischarge opening 45 by the action of the impeller blades 4llv The water thus discharged through the annular discharge opening 45' in the impeller 36 is directed, at the low side of the plate 39, into a number of the lower firstseries ofdischarge ports 32, and is directed, atthe high side of the plate 39, into a" number offthe upper'second series of discharge 'orts 33,' an'd is directdf at the two intermediate sides of the plate 39, intoa-number of both the upper and the lower "series of discharge ports-33 and 32. The water thus directed into the fir'st 'series of dischargeports 32, at the low sideof the plate 39, comprises a first'rotating current progressively discharged therethrough, as indicated by the'previouslynoted arrows 34; the water thus directed into the second series of discharge ports 33, at the high side of the plate 39, eomprises a second rotating currentprogr'essively dischargd therethrough, as indicated by the previou'sly -noted'ari ows 35; and the water thus'dire'cted irito both the fi'rst and second series of discharge ports 32 and 33, at-the-inter mdiate'sides' of'the plate 39, comprises third, and fourth rotating currents progressively discharged theret'h'rough, as respectively indicated by the arrows46- mum in Fig. 4. As previously noted, both the diffuserblades-30 and-'31 are curved in the direction opposite to that of the rotation of 'theimpeller 36, as

illustrated .inFig. 4, so as to minimize clockwise rotation of the-four currents ofwaterdescribed above and so as to v cause the four currents mentioned to be. more nearly radially directed, whereby both a primary toroidalmotion and asecondary rotary motion are imparted to the water and the-clothes contained' in the tub15. ln'thisfregfard, itisnot'ed that the lower'surface of the ditfuser ring 29 is curved 'inorder to direct the water through the first series of discharge ports 32also downwardly, as indicated by the arrows 34, and the upper surface of the. diffuser ring 29 is curved in order to direct thewate'r through the second series of discharge ports indicated by the arrows 35.

both the series of diffuser blades 30 33 also upwardly {as As best shown in Figs. 1 to 33, inclusive, an upstanding composite open structure equally annular spaced-apart blades 49, is supported upon the top of the casing 25 upon the annular ledge 27 and within the annular rim 26; which structure is employed for the purpose of minimizing swirl of the water as it is drawn from the tub 15 into the inlet opening 43 provided in the top central portionof the impeller 36. Also, a clothes guard50 is carried by the top of the casing 25 in enclosing relation with respect to the structure 48; which clothes guard 50 may essentially comprise an inverted substantiallycup-shaped reticulated screen,- so as to i permit ready flow of the water therethrough, while preventing the clothe'ssuspended'in'the water thus circulated in the tub 15 from bein'g'drawn into contact with the structure 48 and into the inlet opening 43.

In view of the foregoing explanation of the mode of operation of the machine 10, it will be understood that when the impeller shaft 37 is rotated in the clockwise directionfat a speedof abont600RJP. M., the waterin thetu'b '15is circulated hrough the clothes guard 50 and thence'throughthe open'structure 48 into the casing.25, and specifically into the hollow shell of the rotating impeller'36, and is thence discharged from the casing 25 by'the impeller '36 through the'first and the secondseries of discharge ports 32 and 33 back into the tub 15. As previously explained,the rotating first current .of water thatis dischargedffom the low side of the impeller 36 through thefirst'series of ports 32 is directed both radially outwardlyan'd'downwafdly acrossthe bottom wall 16, while the rotating second current of water that is discharged trom'the'hi'gh side of the impeller 36 through the secohdseriesof discharge ports 33 is directed both radially outwardly and upwardly above the bottom wall 16; whereby the toroidal motion previously noted is imparted to the water contained in the tub l5, and also the rotary motion. previously noted is imparted thereto. Hence, the clothes'suspended in the water contained in the tub 15 are subjected to'a water washing action and-also to a primarytofoidal'motion and a secondary rotary motion. As water is "circulated in the tube 15, in the manner-describedabove,"the suspended clothes are drawn into contact. with the'clothes guard andmoved downwardly thereal'cin'g, as they are also rotated thereabout, inorder to produce'agentle rubbing action upon thetclothes, for thei'purp'ose'of loosening and removing soil therefrom, so as tosiipplemnt'the water washing action, therebyto insure ahi'gh rateof turn-over of the load of clothes-and.

thorough washing'of all parts thereof. Afterthe clothes move downwardly and around the clothes. guard 50, they engage the exterior surface of the casing 25 and move downwardly and 'therearound toward thebottom wall '16, and thence. substantially radially outwardly toward the side'wall 17,"thence upwardly along the side wall-17, and ultimatefy' back radially inwardly toward the clothes guard 50; whereby the clothes are subjected to substantially con stant movement. in the washing action.

After the clothes have been washed byrotation of the impeller shaft 37 in theclocltwise direction, in the mannerdescribed above, the water may-be extracted therefrom by efiecting rotation of the spincolumn-20 inthe counterclockwise direction at an-ultimate speed of about 600. R. P. M. More particularly,when the spin column 20 is thus rotated in thecounterclo'ckwise direction,-the

collar 19 arid. the tub 15 are rotated therewith, whereby the water travels up the side wall 17 and is'flung'from the discharge holes 23 bythe action-of centrifugal force, the clothes being. retained inthe tub 15= bygthe' retaining ring 18. After a substantial portion of the water has thus been extracted from theclothes contained the tub "15,

rotation of the spin column -20 in the counterclockwise direction isarrested.

The mechanical construction andarrangement of the drive mechanism- 21, for-the purpose of elfe'cting rotationof the impeller shaft-37in the clockwise diiecti'on during the washing action and for efiecting rotation of 48, including three substantially the spin column 20 in the counterclockwise direction during the water extracting action, have not 'been illustrated in the interest of brevity, since these details form no part of the present invention and are otherwise conventional.

Referring now to Fig. 5, a modified form of the clothes guard 60 is illustrated that comprises an upstanding inverted substantially cup-shaped member 61 formed of sheet metal, or the like, and provided with corrugations therein defining a series of clothes-rubbing ribs 62 and a corresponding series of intervening troughs 63 in which perforations 64 are arranged. The clothes guard 60 is supported upon the top of the casing 25, in the manner previously explained in conjunction with the clothes guard 50, and encloses the upstanding structure 48 for the purpose previously described; however, the clothes guard 60 achieves an accentuated rubbing action upon the clothes .as they are moved downwardly over the ribs 62. Furthermore, the arrangement of the perforations 64 within the troughs 63 below the ribs 62 positively prevents the possibility that a small piece of clothing (a hankerchief, or the like) will become draped or plastered upon the clothes guard 60. The general mode of operation of the clothes washing machine embodying the clothes guard 60 is substantially the same as that previously described in conjunction with the clothes guard 50 and is not repeated in the interest of brevity.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a clothes washing machine of simple and economical construction and arrangement and in which the tub is unobstructed containing no moving mechanical element in contact with the contained clothes; whereby the machine effects a thorough, although gentle, washing action fundamentally by a water action, without danger of damage to the clothes. Moreover, since the machine embodies no complicated mechanism for translating rotary motion into oscillatory motion, it is not only economical to manufacture, as noted above, but it is of otherwise simple construction and arrangement, and is quiet and efficient in operation.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a clothes washing machine including a tub provided with a bottom wall and an upwardly directed side wall and adapted to contain wash water and clothes to be washed; the combination comprising a substantially annular casing arranged in said tub adjacent to said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom, said casing being provided with a water inlet opening in the upper portion thereof and first and second series of water discharge ports in the lower portion thereof, said first series of discharge ports being disposed in a substantially annular array adjacent to said bottom wall and arranged to direct water radially outwardly and generally in a horizontal direction immediately above said bottom wall, said second series of discharge ports being disposed in a substantially annular array above and adjacent to said first series of discharge ports and arranged to direct water radially outwardly and generally in a horizontal direction well above said bottom wall, means for drawing water into said casing through said inlet opening and for discharging water fro-m said casing in a first rotating current radially outwardly and progressively through said first series of discharge ports and in a second rotating current radially outwardly and progressively through said second series of discharge ports and with a substantial angle between said first and second rotating currents of water so that said first and second rotating currents of water are well defined with respect to each other both as to the different positions thereof above said bottom wall and as to the differ ent radially outward directions thereof, whereby both a primary toroidal motion and a secondary rotary motion are imparted to the water and the means for preventing the clothes suspended in the water thus circulated in said tube from being drawn through said inlet opening into said casing.

2. The clothes washing machine combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said first rotating current of water is discharged through a number of the individual discharge ports in said first series simultaneously and said second rotating current of water is discharged through a number of the individual discharge ports in said second series simultaneously, and wherein said first and second rotating currents of water are displaced angularly with respect to each other by substantially 3. In a clothes washing machine including a tub provided with a bottom wall and an upwardly directed side wall and adapted to contain wash water and clothes to be washed; the combination comprising a substantially.

frusto-conical casing arranged substantially centrally in said tub, the bottom of said casing engaging said bottom wall and the top of said casing terminating well below the top of said side wall and having a water inlet opening therein, the lower portion of said casing having first and second series of water discharge ports therein, said first series of discharge ports being annular array adjacent to said bottom wall and arranged to direct water radially outwardly and generally in horizontal direction immediately above said bottom wall, said second series of discharge ports being disposed in a substantially annular array above and adjacent to said first series of discharge ports and arranged to direct water radially outwardly and generally well above said bottom wall, means for drawing water into said casing through said inlet opening and for discharging water from said casing in a first rotating current radially outwardly and progressively through said first series of discharge ports and in a second rotating current radially outwardly and progressively through said second series of discharge ports and with a substantial angle between said first and second rotating currents of water so that said first and second rotating currents of water are well defined with respect to ferent positions thereof above said bottom wall and as to the different radially outward directions thereof, whereby both a primary toroidal motion and a secondary rotary motion are imparted to the water and the clothes in said tub, and means for preventing the clothes suspended in the water thus circulated in said tub from being drawn through said inlet opening into said casing.

4. In a clothes washing machine including a tub provided with a bottom wall and an upwardly directed side Wall and adapted to contain wash water and clothes to be washed; the combination comprising a substantially annular casing arranged in said tub adjacent to said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom, said casing being provided with a water inlet opening in the upper portion thereof and first and second series of water discharge ports in the lower portion thereof, ports being disposed in a substantially annular array adjacent to said bottom wall and arranged to direct water radially outwardly and generally in a horizontal direction immediately above said bottom wall, said second series of discharge ports being disposed in a substantially annular array above and adjacent to said first series of discharge ports and arranged to direct water radially outwardly and generally in a horizontal direction well above said bottom wall, an impeller arranged in said casing and rotatable to draw water into said casing through said inlet opening and to discharge water from said casing in a first rotating current radially outwardly and progressively through said first series of discharge ports and in a second rotating current radially outwardly and progressively through said second series of discharge ports and with a substantial angle between said first and second rotating currents of water so that said first and second ro-' tating currents of water are well defined with respect to each other both as to the different positions thereof above clothes in said tub, and

disposed in a substantially in a horizontal direction each other both as to the difsaid first series of discharge said bottom walland as to the different radially outward directions thereof, means for rotating said impeller, whereby both a primary toroidal motion and a secondary rotary motion are imparted to the water and the clothesinsaid tub, and means for preventing the clothes suspendedintlie water thus circulated in said tub from being drawn through said inlet opening into said casing.

5. The clot-hes washing machine combination set forth in claim 4, wherein said first and second series of discharge ports are defined by structure including corresponding first and second series of angularly spaced-apart and substantially radially extending diffuser blades.

6. The clothes washing machine combination set forth in claim.5, wherein eachof said diffuser blades is radially curved in a-direction opposite. to the direction of rotation of said impeller.

'7. The clothes washing machine combination set forth in claim 4, wherein said first and second series of discharge ports are defined by an annular diffuser ring disposed above and adjacent to said bottom wall and cooperating first and second series of angularly spacedapart and substantially radially extending diffuser blades respectively disposed below and above said diffuser ring.

8. The clothes washing machine combination set forth in claim .7, wherein the lower surface of said diffuser ring is curved to direct said first current of water also downwardly toward said bottom wall and the upper surface of said diffuser ring is curved to direct said second current of water also upwardly away from said bottom wall.

9. The clothes washing machine combination set forth in claim 4, wherein said impeller is of the volute closedchannel centrifugal type.

10.111 a clothes washing machine including; a tub provided with a bottom wall and an upwardly directed side wall and adapted to contain wash water and clothes to be washed; the combination comprising a substantially annular casing arranged in said tub adjacent to said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom, said casing being provided with a water inlet opening in the upper portion thereof and first and second series of water discharge ports in the lower portion thereof, said first series of discharge ports being disposed in a substantially annular array adjacent to said bottom wall and arranged to direct water radially outwardly and generally in a horizontal direction immediately above said bottom wall, said second series of discharge ports being disposed in a substantially annular array above and adjacent to said first series of discharge ports and arranged to direct water radially outwardly and generally in a horizontal direction well above said'bottorn wall, an upstanding rotatable shaft extending through said bottom wall into said casing, an impeller of the volute closed-channel centrifugal type arranged in said casing andsecured tosaid shaft, saidimpeller being rotatable to draw water through said inlet opening into said casing and thence into the. interior thereof and to discharge water. by centrifugal action from the interior thereof and thencefrom said casing in a first rotating current radially outwardly and progressively through said first series of discharge ports and in :a second rotating current radially outwardly andprogressively throughsaid second series of discharge ports and with asubstantial angle between said first and second rotating currents of water so that said first. and second rotating currents of. water are well defined with respect to-each other both as to the different positions thereof above said bottom wall and as to the different radially outward directions thereof, means for rotatingsaid shaft, whereby both a primary toroidal motion and'a secondary rotary motion are imparted to the Water in said tub, and means for preventing the clothes suspended in the water thus circulated in said tub from being drawn through said inlet opening into said casing.

11. The clothes washing machine combination set forth in claim l; wherein said casing. is of substantially frustoconical configuration; and wherein said impeller includes a substantially disk-like plate arranged adjacent to said 1% bottom wall and disposed at an angle with respect thereto, so that ,two oppositely disposed portions of said plate respectively cooperate with said' first and second series-of discharge ports, a substantially frusto-conical shell carried by said plate and cooperating with said casing, said shell having a water inlet passage in the upper portion thereof and .beingspaced above said plate to provide a substantially annular Water discharge passage therebetween, and a plurality. of upstanding impeller blades arranged between said plate and said shell.

12. in a clothes washing machine including a tub provided with a bottom wall and an upwardly directed side wall and adapted to contain Wash water and clothes to be washed; thecorrib'ination comprising a substantially frustoconical casing arranged in said tub adjacent to said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom, said casing being provided with awater' inletopening in the top thereof and first andsecond series of water discharge ports in the lower portion thereof, said first series of discharge ports being disposed in a substantially annular array adjacent to said bottom wall and arranged to direct water radially outwardly and generally in a horizontal direction immediately above said bottom wall, said second series of discharge ports being disposed in a substantially annular array above and adjacent to said first series of discharge ports and arranged to direct water radially outwardly and generally in a. horizontal direction well above said bottom wall, means for drawing water into said casing through said inlet opening and for discharging water from said casing in a first rotating current radially outwardly and progressively through said first series of discharge ports and in a second rotating current radially outwardly and progressively through said second series of discharge ports and with a substantial angle between said first and second rotating currents of water so that said first and second rotating currentsof water are well defined with respect to each other both as to the different positions thereof above said bottom wall and as to the different radially outward directions thereof, whereby both a primary toroidal motion and a secondary rotary motion are imparted to the water and the clothes in said tub, and means including an upstanding inverted substantially cup-shaped perfo rated member carried by the top of said casing and covering said inletopening for preventing clothes suspended in the water circulated in said tub from being drawn through said inlet opening into said casing.

13. The clothes washing machine combination set forth in claim 12, wherein said member is of substantially corrugated construction providing a series of clothes-rubbing ribs and a corresponding series of intervening troughs in which the perforations are formed.

.14. In a clothes washing machine including a tub pro vided with a bottom wall and an upwardly directed side wall and adapted to contain wash water and clothes to be washed; the combination comprising a substantially frusto-conical casing arranged in said tubadjacent to said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom, said casing being provided with a water inlet opening in the top thereof and first and second series of water dischargeports in the lowerportion thereof, said first series of discharge ports being disposed in a substantially annular array adjacent to said bottom wall and arranged to direct water radially outwardly and generally in a horizontal direction immediately above said bottom wall, said second series of discharge ports'being disposed in a substantially annular array above and adjacent to said first series of discharge ports and arranged to direct water radially outwardly .and generally in a horizontal direction well above saidbottom wall, means for drawing water into said casing through said inlet opening and for discharging water from said casing in a first rotating current radially outwardly and progressively through said first series of discharge ports and in a second rotating current radially outwardly and progressivelythrough said second series of discharge ports'and with a substantial angle between said It) first and second rotating currents of water so that said and enclosing said open structure and covering said inlet first and second rotating currents of water are Well deopening for preventing clothes suspended in the Water cirfined with respect to each other both as to the different culated in said tub from being drawn into contact with positions thereof above said bottom Wall and as to the said open structure or through said inlet opening into said difierent radially outward directions thereof, whereby 6 casing.

both a primary toroidal motion and a secondary rotary motion are imparted to the water and the clothes in said References Cited in h? file of i Patent tub, means including upstanding open structure carried ED STA PATENTS by the top of said casing adjacent to said inlet opening for v .i i e minimizing swirl of the water drawn through said inlet 10 f "fff if? ?f opening into said casing, and means including an upstand- 1 6 T5 A 1942 ing reticulated member carried by the top of said casing rec elm ge 

